There is one in every group

Somehow in every class I teach there is one student that drives me nuts. Last semester there was the one that would always say, "We have a book?". She thought she was hysterical. I thought otherwise. This semester, the annoying one is, I think, worse. His everyday annoying activities include saying "score" any time he figures something out, most often he is just re-affirming information, everyone in the class knows. For example, we covered variance four or five weeks ago, in case you don't remember the symbol for variance is s squared. He comments almost daily that variance is s squared, when I confirm this, the inevitable score is uttered. Today, I lost my temper. Earlier this week, I had sent out an email with details on an extra credit activity for my class. The subject line was extra credit. Seems pretty obvious what the message might be about. Well today, this guy asks, "what was that email about". I replied, "extra credit, was that unclear from the email?" He replies, "I didn't read the email." At this point, I am pretty much shocked that anyone is that clueless to admit to the professor they don't read the professor's email. He goes on, "I thought it would be easier to ask you." At this point, I lost it, "I don't send this class many emails, I expect that you will read them. If you chose not to read my emails, please don't let me know, it only makes you look bad." Some of you may know that I have a very expressive face, and I have a difficult time hiding my annoyance with stupidity. Well, apparently my teaching mask, which I thought covered up those eyerolls, doesn't work. Ooops. I guess I better go to acting class.

Happy in our new home

Tiger and I have moved from apt 7 to apt 3. But it is a huge improvement. Tiger loves the stairs in the townhouse, she likes to run up and down them, and survey the world from them.

We are awaiting the arrival of Sir GB who will be joining us in the end of March.

It is very busy in LA. Work seems to keep building up, plus we have many trips and activities planned. I am headed to the PAC-10 tourney this weekend, with some friends from USC. Then at the end of the month the LA Galaxy season opener (alas no Beckham :()

Early April we are off to San Diego, and on the way back a stop in Anaheim to see the Red Sox. Then May has us in L-town (and a side trip to Toronto to see the Red Sox), the Sir GB heads off to Belize for 6 weeks. I have to teach or some nonsense like that, so I am only going for 2 weeks. Then not too many plans until winter break, we are going to italy for about a week, then to england for Sir GB family adventures, and then to London. I am hoping I get to go to a real football match...preferably Liverpool, but I'll see what we can wrangle....

Adventures in teaching

I am teaching an undergraduate research class this semester. Fifteen minutes before the class starts I get an email from a student asking where the class is...Ok, no problem, it is in this room. The student emails me back immediately, "I am in the room with some other students." My internal response...great, I hope you are having a fabulous time. But it is 15 minutes before class, no way in hell am I ever that early to class. So that was just strange and I thought I would ignore it. So during class the students were discussing what they wanted to study this semester. So little miss 15 minutes early says, "I am interested in studying sexual dysfunction in men under 35." Instead of asking what the hell are you talking about, I do the professorial thing and say, "How do you plan on studying this?" She replies, "I was hoping to shadow some therapists." My reply, "I am pretty sure that is illegal, and most certainly unethical". She retorts, "Well, what if I just look at the patients medical records." At this point, I am in utter shock and say, "No, that is definitely illegal." So, I had convinced her that this might not be a viable research topic. Triumph of baby professor and I send her off to spend some time thinking about this...But then she utters..."I just think I'll observe some sexaholic anonymous groups." I can only wonder what this semester might hold....

My Book is out

It is now on sale at Amazon....It has a lame title, and is pretty boring, but it is mine....

My new car...the red devil...

So many of you know, Zsa Zsa met her end....So I was forced to get a replacement...

So here she is...the red devil...




I was going to name her after Liverpool FC, but just naming her red seemed a little obvious....so I went with man u

Awaiting News on ZsaZsa

My car, affectionately known as ZsaZsa was in an accident on sunday. Everyone human was ok....but we are waiting to see if ZsaZsa goes to the great scrape yard in the sky or if she will just be in the hospital for awhile....Hopefully I'll know more before I go on vacation.

Ahhhh Holiday Break

After my first semester being a professor, the winter break has so far already been a fabulous reprieve from the pressures of the semester. No emails from students, no trying to explain basic mathematical functions to people to whom algebra is a foreign language, fewer random emails from the chair, and by luck of getting out of the country for a couple of weeks, no faculty retreats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do we have to look forward to this holiday....Sir GB will be down south with me and Tiger for Christmas. We having christmas dinner with DD and her family, they so graciously invited us. Then relaxing for another week or so, and then off to Belize for awhile before the next semester starts again....

The only two things I'll miss while away...Tiger Cat and working out with my trainer, Nancy. Yup, in the past 3 months I have lost over 15lbs, and I am considerably smaller b/c I have built a lot of muscle. Yup, I am a gym rat, but that is cool, soon enough I will be a super duper trim Gerbie.

Happy Holidays

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